


The Fire King

by sillyvamp



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Historical, Angelos is that baby, Hakyeon just wants to protect his baby brother, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added Subtracted Multiplied or Divided, Sanghyuk and Hakyeon are on the run, Slow Burn, and I love my little world, as in Greek mythology and joseon type of thing, hate to love relationship, in other words Greece and Joseon fucked and had a baby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2019-06-09 15:37:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15270675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sillyvamp/pseuds/sillyvamp
Summary: People like Cha Hakyeon are not supposed to exist.Yet here he is, hiding away from the people who will kill him if they so much as sniff him out.Angelos is beautiful, it really is. But when you have been hiding away to ensure you and your brother will be safe, it becomes more of a prison instead of the magical land that is looked after by Gods.Hakyeon wishes he was normal. Had he been normal he wouldn't be stuck in this situation.Hakyeon just prays that he is able to find out just who exactly he is and why he lost all he loved.





	1. Prologue

Cha Hakyeon was loved by everyone for his heart of gold. He was looked up to by the children, loved by the mother's, trusted by the father's. Never in his life had he done something wrong.  
Yet here he knelt, with his usually bright golden feathered wings dull in color and broken, waiting for the words that would seal his fate.

"So what will it be your highness?" The guard at his side asked, voice low and void of any emotions. He held his sword near Hakyeon's neck waiting for the command from their king, "What do you wish to do with him?"

  
Hakyeon's heart began to beat at an inhuman pace, his wings fluttering due to terror and causing pain to shoot through them. He could hear the ruffling of robes; the almost silent footsteps on carpeted floor that were getting closer to him; the fluttering of his brother's own wings as he held his breath, afraid that any sudden movement from him would cause the blade to dig deeper into his skin.

  
He felt as his hair was pulled and his head tilted back. He sighed for a second as the distance between the cold blade and his neck increased, but grimaced as the hold on his hair got tighter. He opened his eyes, gold iris' being met with pitch black ones. He felt his body temperature increase, feeling like he was burning inside out, as he kept his eyes  locked with those that belonged to the Fire King.

  
A smirk fell over the Kings lips, eyes flashing a deep red as he spoke, his voice velvety soft yet cold as ice, a drastic difference to his power, "So what will it be my queen?"


	2. Chrysanthemum

    There were a large number of things that Cha Hakyeon loved. The feeling of the wind caressing his skin  as he flew over the trees of his home; the heat of the sun over him; the joyous laughter his younger brother let out when they played together; the sweetness of his mother's cookies and the roughness of his father's voice as he instructed him on how to shoot the arrow so that it hit the target perfectly; were only a few of the those things.

    It was when he was nineteen, after years loving the same things and being surrounded by the same scenery that he came to the conclusion that his happiness laid in the hands of his family. But the instant he saw the root of his joy, it was cut.

    Hakyeon loved many things, but they were taken away from him.

~♤♡◇♧~

    "The land of Angelos is known for many things, one of them being the mystical touch it has for as its name says it has angels residing within its protective walls," the soft voice of the mother was heard as she told her children the story of their land. Her hands worked fast in braiding her eldest sons hair while the other rested his head on his brother's lap, "Angels are what the royalty is called for it is them who have the traits of the mystical being."

    "Mama?" The youngest boy spoke up from where he was laying in his bed, nightgown on and eyes closed as his brother ran his fingers through his hair, "Ywaits?"

    "It's how you look silly," the older answered, "they look like birds right Mama?"

    The mother chuckled, "Not quite Yeonie. They hold extreme beauty and strength. They are said to be the fairest of all those in the land for they have the heart of an angel."

    Her oldest child butted in, a look of confusion plastered on his tiny face, "But why them mama?"

    The mother chuckled at her son's curiosity and tried to explain as good as possible, "Long ago the prince to the kingdom's throne found what he thought was a normal bird. The bird was injured, its wing was broken and bleeding and to the young prince, it was clear that it would not live if it was not treated. So the young prince took the bird back to the castle to nurse it back to health, unaware that the bird he was helping was no typical bird but an angel who had taken that form upon being wounded and falling from the heavens. The young prince and his family personally nursed the tiny bird back to health and when the bird has fully healed it turned into an angel. As a show of gratitude, the angel spoke to the Gods about all the great things the royal family had done for him while he had been wounded. The Gods, pleased with their kindness blessed them with gifts. 

    "The first gift was large, beautiful wings to serve as a reminder of what they had helped the angel heal. Infants with royal blood are born with two large scars on their backs, it is a sign that they will be given their wings at some point in their lives. Another was the kind heart but iron fist so that they could rule their kingdom well. Weapons forged by the Angels themselves was another gift. Lastly, they gave Prosperity for the kingdom and since it was the heir to the throne that had taken the initiative to help the young angel they gave a gift of power like no other, " The mother stood up, having finished braiding her son's hair and tucked both of her children into bed. 

    The youngest was fast asleep even before she had made her way to the door of the small room, head on his brother's shoulder and soft pants coming out of his tiny mouth.

    "Mama?" The older boy asked, eyes wide open, remembering something he had thought had been due to an accident.

    The mother grabbed into the lantern, turning to look at him with soft eyes and a small smile on her cherry lips, "Yes, Yeonie?"

    "Will I have wings?"

    The smile disappeared from her lips upon hearing that question and tears began to fill her eyes. She cleared her throat, hoping that her emotions wouldn't show as she spoke, but her voice still shook as she answered her six-year-old child, "No baby." And with that, she closed the door.

    She stared at the mahogany wood, seeming to be analyzing her husband's amazing work but was actually so lost in thought that she didn't notice when the lantern on her hand ran out of oil, the darkness growing and swallowing her, "For your sake, let's pray to the gods that neither of you does."

~♤♡◇♧~

    Hakyeon always knew he was different. Nobody told him, but why else would his parents be living here in the Fallen Woods? The place farthest away from the city? Why would the kids and adults look at him the way they did? Pointing fingers and murmuring about his [yellow ](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/1e/67/70/1e677094980753a5179c36bf32de0cb7.jpg)eyes.

    He didn't let that fact destroy him though, he still smiled so wide his cheeks often hurt right after and kindly offered to help when it was possible. That's how he became loved by everyone as the years passed. It seemed like nobody was able to resist the charms that the Cha boys had.

    The Cha almost never went to the village as they had all they needed in their little cabin, the woods providing all the food they needed and Mrs. Cha often using her gift of sewing to make clothes for them. When they did wander out of the woods, their small carriage being pulled by their two loyal horses, Mr. and Mrs. Cha always made sure their children were covered by a cloak, away from prying eyes.

    The attempt was futile as the eyes always found them, but the kindness that the family radiated made them loved by all the other villagers. 

    In his seven years of life, Hakyeon remembered he had been at the village six times, twice every year as the family went to restock on lantern oil, tools, and material for new clothes. Hakyeon was never sure how it was that they got the coins they exchanged the goods for, but he never asked. He was usually too enthralled in looking at the village folk move about their day, eyes twinkling as they worked.

    His suspicions about being different were confirmed when he was eight.  Three weeks after his birthday he caught what his parents were hoping was only a slight fever. They were wrong.

    He still remembered the pain and discomfort he felt during those three days he had to spend in bed. He felt as though his entire body was being burned; as though his skin was ripping apart; as if his bones were breaking one by one. There was so much pain and he screamed to the point he lost his voice by the end of the first day.

    You could probably imagine the relief he felt when he woke up on the fourth day, body feeling much cooler but far too heavy. He felt like he had a new weight upon him.

    He had been confused as to why he felt so heavy and became even more confused and startled when his parents came in and his mother burst into tears. He thought he had done something wrong so he had crawled out of bed in an attempt to go and comfort his sobbing mother. His body had been weak and he had fallen, but his body never came into contact with the wooden floor as he felt himself being surrounded by warmth.

    He cried when he saw the large blood covered [wings ](https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQSQQU2PKDhA_bXRN2YtQocB0ZqupZPelBETPV1HmZO6l_8CC1bPw)that made themselves at home on his back, each one as long as he was tall and wrapped around him in an attempt to protect him, but the young boy thought he was being trapped. He had curled himself into a tight ball crying and asking for forgiveness for all the little things he had done. He didn't like the wings that were now a part of him.

    He prayed for them to be gone.

~♤♡◇♧~

    It took him a week to come into terms with the new addition and another to see the bow and arrows that were laying on his vanity, calling to him with a hum barely above that of a honey bee.

    A few days later he was out of bed, getting accustomed to walking again. The feeling of the wooden floor touching his wings felt absolutely foreign but not unwelcomed. The number of times he had bumped into something and broken it made him feel embarrassed and frustrated. No matter how beautiful his wings were they were a hassle. 

    His parents kept a closer eye on him, his father or mother always seeming to be there when he was out of the cabin. Hakyeon never complained, liking their company and the warmth that radiated from them.

    It took him a year to get accustomed to his wings and flying but he soon found himself loving the pastime more than any others he had done before. He fell in love with the feeling of the wind flowing through his gold-colored wings, the winds caress on his skin and the smile that seemed to always make itself at home when he was up above or between trees, playing hide and seek with his younger brother. He fell in love with the sun rays as well, always looking for ways to go outside and enjoy the light of the sun instead of being in the cabin.

    And his [bow](https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSKrRqpwhbPg9Tz9co9pLVmigeWYlFErf8HfjHLbxlCBlnTRNJD). He didn't know where it came from, how it got into his room or why it seemed to be calling him. He knew he should be afraid of the weapon to an extent that the soft hum it let out whenever he was around called to Hakyeon, telling him to grab ahold of it. He fell into temptation the day after his tenth birthday, grabbing it when his parents weren't looking and took it outside.

    It was weird, he'll tell you that. It was weird how he instantly seem to know how to use it despite the fact that he had never touched a bow before and the one he held in his hands was almost as tall as him. Grabbing an arrow from the quiver he had tied to his back, the arrowhead, and feathers made of what could only be gold, He pulled the string of the bow, his shoulders relaxed, hands and position steady. He had caught sight of a deer a few yards away and his mind instantly came to remember that his brothers fifth birthday was only a few days away. What better present then his favorite food? 

    Hakyeon had held his breath as he aimed at the deer, bowstring stretched to his lips, and fired. The arrow hit its target, the deer falling to the ground with a thump. Hakyeon cheered at the top of his lungs, causing his parents to come running out of the cabin, his brother in his mother's arms. Hakyeon had continued cheering, pointing at the deer not too far away and running towards it, unconsciously placing the bow on his back.  When he returned, dragging the large deer with him, his parents had been wide-eyed and speechless. Hakyeon had simply giggled, kissing his brother's forehead and wishing him a happy early birthday.

    It took him a few more months after his little show with his bow to be able to learn how to retract his wings. He hadn't known it was possible in the beginning but he had grown tired of always having to sleep on his belly and having to bathe in the river instead of the pleasant bath the family had in the cabin. He had grown even more tired of the mess they often made. 

    It had been painful, very painful and after having unconsciously succeeded he had fallen into a deep slumber, returning to the land of the living three days later. He cried when he noticed his wings were gone, unsure about how to get them back. He had grown so attached to them, getting used to the feeling of them and the extra weight they placed on him. He was confused as to why he now had a tattoo of wings on his back, the drawing done with gold-colored ink. He was very confused, but then a few days later they were back, ripping from his flesh in a matter of seconds, causing him more pain than the first time they had grown.

    He learned to control his wings after a few more tries, being able to retract and take them out once again with ease. His wings were retracted unless he was out flying in the afternoons or practicing his archery, feeling as they would be a hassle if they were always out. His ability to retract his wings meant that he was able to go to the village with his family again, a huge win as he had been lonely whenever they would head out to the village those two times each year. 

    The downside to this wonderful occurrence was that his parents kept an even closer eye on him, keeping him by their side as they made their way through the village, grabbing everything they needed for the next six months. It was understandable that they did this, Hakyeon was a royal of peasant decent and as a result, he was a threat to the royal family.

~♤♡◇♧~

    When his brother became ill a few days after his eighth birthday, the Cha family was not prepared. Mr. and Mrs. Cha were in full out panic mode, they had thought they had three weeks before their youngest would begin his change. It didn't help that less then a week prior Hakyeon had felt a strange presence while he was checking the perimeter of their home for anything unusual. He had thought it was only his imagination, deciding to fly away instead of checking the area again. They never had intruders and to suddenly seem to have one now of all times was a huge problem. But Hakyeon will continue to believe that the presence he felt was that of an animal and nothing more.

    Now, as the youngest Cha laid in bed with a fever that would have killed a regular individual within hours, the rest were unsure of what to do. Hakyeon was the first one to jump into action after a few hours panicking. He had excused himself from his parents' presence, going into his brother's room to keep him company and comfort him. It had been nearly five years since he went through his own change but he knew what his brother would need to feel better. He helped him get his shirt off and get onto his belly, twisting his head to the side so that he would be able to breathe. He rubbed soothing circles on his back, near the two large scars, to sooth down the pain. 

    Hakyeon spend hours soothing his baby brother into a light slumber, taking turns between drying his sweat and rubbing comforting circles on his back. He had barely any sleep the first night, nodding off for only a few minutes before he suddenly woke up with a start and returned to wiping a sweat off his brother or massaging his back. By the end of the second night, he was barely awake enough to continue his work. By the third day, his parents were dragging him to his room, telling him he needed to rest and that they would take care of the youngest while he slept. Hakyeon explained what they should do, telling him to keep his brother hydrated, clear of sweat and comforted before he was shoved out of the room and into his own, falling face first into his bed without noticing the pain that came right after.

    He didn't sleep for more than a few hours. His eyes snapping open near the five-hour mark and he shot out of bed running to his brother's room. The instant he was about to open the door it shot open by itself, almost hitting him in the face. He took a look at his father's slightly panicking expression and ran in, seeing his mother trying to figure out what to do stop his brothers crying as he wept it pain. He took a look at his brothers back, seeing the blood that was oozing out of the scars as they opened and his wings began to come out. He instantly grabbed a hold of the wet rag on the nightstand as he fell to his knees beside the bed, he cleaned the blood as the wings slowly came out of his back, smeared in the sticky red substance.

    Hakyeon whispered words of encouragement to his brother as the wings slowly made their way through his flesh, ripping his skin and making him cry in pain. His parents left them alone, unable to figure out how exactly they could help. After hours of constant crying what was left of the [wings ](https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTzrP0oOyNVKtladIloymds7Mp0BEGUFCSNOh2yHM4URC_09SVq)finally ripped through, some of the red covered feathers falling and soon getting picked by the wind. 

    Hakyeon was so enthralled in cleaning his brother up and getting him to rest for a while that he didn't notice when the wind took hold of the feathers and moved them around the room, dropping them into a pile on the floor. Once the wind stopped the feathers were gone and in their place stood a large white [spear](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/61/b9/1f/61b91fd84ca672236a770781117430dc.jpg). 

~♤♡◇♧~

    Hakyeon laughed as he flew through the trees, bow in hand and arrow already placed on it, ready to be shot as he caught sight of the target. A white spear flew past him, almost hitting one of his golden wings, and hit the target nearly a mile away from where Hakyeon was. The spear went through the target, breaking it and scaring a family of rabbits that was close by. Hakyeon yelped, the arrow flying from his bow and hitting a tree near the shattered target. He turned to look at his fast approaching brother who laughed as he looked at his older brother's face.

    "That's not fair!" Hakyeon whined as he hit his bother lightly with his bow, "You almost hit me you, idiotic giant!"

    Sanghyuk chuckled as he tried to shield himself from his brother's constant blows, "Hyung, Hyung! You said that it as a no rules battle. I just simply went with it!" he yelled as his brother's hits became more painful, the smile disappearing from his lips, "Hyung!"

    "You giant baby!" Hakyeon responded with a final hit, "You always find ways of scaring me nearly half to death!"

    Sanghyuk laughed at that, unable to find it in his heart to lie for that statement was quite true. He extended his hand towards the target, seconds later his spear found its way to him, and he wrapped his hand around it. He sighed lightly as he placed the spear on his back, the strap that held it in place tied securely so that it wouldn't fall while flying, "Do you want to head back home. It's almost supper time and it's my birthday after all." Sanghyuk wiggled his eyebrows, a huge grin on his lips.

    Hakyeon looked at the sky, noticing that the sun was slowly going down, "Yeah, mother would probably want us back before the sun sets entirely," he turned to Sanghyuk, golden eyes twinkling with mischief as he placed his bow on his back, "Race you home!" he shouted as he began to fly away.

    "That's not fair," Sanghyuk shouted as he began to fly as well, pure white wings moving fast in a failed attempt to catch up.

    He only received a bubbly laugh in return.

~♤♡◇♧~

    Hakyeon looked around the village for a second, taking in the things that had changed during the six months they hadn't come by. It was the end of July and as per tradition, the Cha were back at the village. Well, only Hakyeon and Sanghyuk were in the village, their parents had stayed behind to rest upon the boy's demands. It took a lot of convincing and Hakyeon bringing his bow with him but the boys had been able to go to the village along with a promise to be back before sunset.

    His attention turned back to the village's main store where he could see his brother speaking to the store owner's son, asking him for the many things they needed for the months to come. The village knew of their visits, often looking forward to the day that the Cha would come to pick up their material and as a result would pack the needed things days prior. The Chas visits were almost like a holiday to the villagers. The mothers were usually around, trying to get a glance of the Beautiful Cha boys. The merchants often placed their best merchandise out to be seen and the children were often waiting by to say hi to the Cha siblings.

    Hakyeon didn't miss the small blush that his brother's cheeks took when the merchant boy smiled and nodded, going to the back of the store to get the materials, list in his hand to make sure he didn't forget anything. Hakyeon rolled his eyes, his bother was so smitten by the older boy that it made Hakyeon nauseous.

    Hakyeon felt a tug at the bottom of his dark cloak and he looked down to see what it was. He smiled at the young boy who was trying his hardest to reach him and hand him the object in his hand. Hakyeon recognized him as the son of the flower shop's owner, Jimin. Hakyeon stepped off the carriage, bending down to the young boy's height, "Hey buddy, what's that in your hand?"

    "It's a flower sir," Jimin said with a cheerful voice, eyes turning into moons as he smiled at Hakyeon, "It's for you, sir!"

    Hakyeon took it, bringing it close to his nose to smell the sweet scent that the flower gave off, "Thank you so much! It is absolutely beautiful." Hakyeon told the boy as he ruffled his hair fondly.

    "I'm happy you liked it, sir. I'm sure the mister will be happy to hear that. This one," he handed him another flower, "this one is from me." the young boy leaned in and placed a kiss on his cheek before running away seconds later, returning to the flower shop not too far away.

    Hakyeon's eyes followed the small boy back, a frown forming on his face as he looked at the flowers, white chrysanthemums and light pink rose. What a strange combination as he knew that the pink rose had positive meanings like gentleness and admiration while the white bloom meant nothing but grief.

    The villagers shunned the flower, deeming it a funeral bloom that should never be given unless it was in an arrangement for a deceased. He looked back up at the flower shop and caught sight of a man in a black cloak, much like his own but of finer material, outside the shop. The man's face was mainly covered by the cloak's hood but he shifted it a bit, allowing his face to be slightly seen. He smiled at Hakyeon, a cold smile that made shivers run down Hakyeon's back. Hakyeon felt fear forming deep within his chest at the dark aura the other had around him. He unconsciously took a step back, his hand taking hold of his bow at his back. A carriage passed in front of him, making him unable to see the shop and as a result of the man for a few seconds. As the carriage continued on its way Hakyeon looked at the flower shop again but the man was gone.

    "Is everything okay?" Hakyeon heard a rough voice ask from behind him.

    He jumped from shock and turned to see his brother coming back, a barrel of oil over one shoulder and brown sacks on the other. He had a worried expression on his face as he placed the things on the back of the carriage, "Yes," Hakyeon said eyes unconsciously going back to the flower shop for a second before returning to look at his brother, "You just startled me."

    "Where did you get those?" Sanghyuk asked, nodding towards the flowers in his hand. He finished placing the things in the back of the carriage and moved to the front, getting on and taking hold of the reigns.

    Hakyeon got back on the carriage as well, allowing his brother to control the horses as he looked at the flowers once again, "They were gifts."

    "Really? From who?"

    "From Mr. Park's child," upon seeing his brothers confused expression he tried to go into more detail, "You know, the flower shop owner," a look of recognition passed through his brothers face, " and. . ."

    Sanghyuk turned to look at his brother instead of the road for a second, "And?'

    "I don't know," Hakyeon answered, his eyebrows coming closer together as his frown grew, "A stranger."

    "Don't think too hard about it," Sanghyuk told him, patting his shoulder lightly, "We always receive gifts from the villagers when we come." 

    Hakyeon nodded, hand unconsciously moving to touch the five small throwing [knives ](http://www.medievalcollectibles.com/images/Product/large/MC-RC-086-12.png)strapped to his thigh, a gift from the village blacksmith he had received the last visit. He had gotten a set of twelve from the blacksmith, but often only carried five with him. Sanghyuk had received small daggers, plus a [larger](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31fW%2BJDZBmL._SX466_.jpg) one that the younger always had strapped to his thigh by a leather holder their mother had spend days crafting.

    "Talking about gifts," Sanghyuk continued, pulling the reigns lightly to keep the horses on the right track, "Hongbin-ssi gave us an extra sack of flour and one of apples, the ones you like."

    Hakyeon snorted, "The ones I like? Aren't you the one who always begs mother to make you apple tarts? Plus, we both know that you're head over heels for the store owner's son and that he feels the same way towards you. It's no surprise he gave you gifts."

    Sanghyuk opened and closed his mouth multiple times as if unable to figure out how to answer. Hakyeon chuckled at how fast he could make his brother speechless when it came to the matters regarding the Lee offspring, "Anyway," Sanghyuk finally said, "We just need to head over to the seamstress to get the things that mother asked of us and then we can head home."

    "Alright," Hakyeon stated, his hand coming to rub his stomach lightly, "I'm starving already."

    Sanghyuk hummed in agreement.

    They made their way to the seamstress, who had her goods on display outside, showing them to the passersby. Sanghyuk stopped the horses, jumping off, "Stay here and guard the carriage," Sanghyuk told Hakyeon, "I'll get the things we need."

    Hakyeon nodded and leaned back, looking over the hanboks and fabrics on display. He absolutely loved the beautiful designs many of the materials had and the hanboks overall. He had never actually worn a hanbok before, they were unfit for the life in the woods. His mother made the majority of his clothes of leather made from the skin of the animals they hunted, only a few things actually being done with the cotton fabric they got from the seamstress. The closest thing to a hanbok was what his mother wore and even then it was modified to fit someone who lived in the woods.  He turned his attention to the Hwa (boots) and danghye (female shoes) on display on the store beside the one they were currently at. He looked at the Hwa then looked down at his boots, there was a drastic difference between the material and the design. 

    "We're finished," Sanghyuk said as he jumped in, placing their purchase with the rest, "We can go home now. Oh, and the seamstress saw you staring at her hanboks, she gifted you one." He added and then handed him a  package as he ordered the horses to begin moving.

    Hakyeon took the package and opened it looking at the Po which was made from rich blue silk. This was by far one of the most expensive hanboks the seamstress had in her shop and she had just given it to him for free. He turned around, smiling widely at the seamstress and yelled out her name. The seamstress turned to him and he bowed deeply in an attempt to show his gratitude. The old women simply smiled and waved goodbye.

     They were quiet for nearly an hour, Hakyeon enthralled in inspecting the hanbok and Sanghyuk in making sure the carriage was on the right path. "You know," Sanghyuk began, "I don't understand why you seem to find the hanboks such an amazing thing," they reached the exit of the village and increased their pace lightly, "It's not fit for the style of life we have. Let's not get started on the fact that we would have to cut huge slits on them like we do to nearly all our shirts and cloaks to let our wings out if we ever used them."

    Hakyeon shook his head lightly," I don't plan to ever wear one. I just think their pretty and nice to look at," he placed the po back with the rest of the hanbok, tying the fabric it had been wrapped in once again, "Besides, the color will more than likely make me look darker. I thank her though and will cherish it for many years to come."

    Sanghyuk smiled at his brother's response but said nothing more. The ride home was two hours and as they slowly made their way back towards the woods they began to feel a strange sensation deep within their hearts. They were unsure of the reason behind the strange feeling, but something told them it had to do with their parents. Sanghyuk ordered the horses to go faster, very aware of the panicked expression his brother had on his face.  
      
    The instant the carriage went into the woods Hakyeon was on his feet, unafraid of suddenly falling off the fast moving vehicle, "Find a place to hide the carriage and yourself," Hakyeon said with an authoritative tone as he unclasped the clip that held the cloak over his shoulders. The material got stuck on his quiver but with a small tug it fell from his body and Hakyeon jumped up, his wings instantly coming out and he took off in the direction of the cabin, heart in his throat as fear consumed him.

    As the cabin came into sight he felt as if his heart had stopped completely. The cabin was being ransacked, belonging flying out of the windows and door. Hakyeon's golden eyes wandered around, taking sight of the many bodies laying around and then his father near the lake, fighting a few men at once while others raided their home. His only home. Hakyeon landed near a body, instantly noticing the king's emblem in the garments of the fallen. His hand grabbed onto his bow, his slightly shaking fingers taking hold of an arrow from his quiver and he began to shoot as he walked closer to his father who was trying to break free from the many men. He saw an arrow fly pass him and as he turned to see where it had gone he saw it making its home on his father's leg. Anger instantly filled him and his arrows flew with more vigor.

    Hakyeon didn't feel any remorse as his arrows found their targets with ease, rendering them unconscious but not dead. The men who had been in the house finally took sight of him and they began to come out, making their way to him. Hakyeon shot arrow after arrow trying to keep as many men away from his father and himself. He felt a sudden jolt of pain on his shoulder and he cried out, eyes darting down to see what it was. An arrow, black in color with bright red hen feathers and black cock feather, cut into his skin; rendering his arm nearly useless. Hakyeon cursed as he grabbed ahold of it, knowing very well that removing the arrow now would be an idiotic move. He broke off the shaft before raising his bow again, ready to shoot while ignoring the pain.

    A flash of white flew past him and hit the soldier closest to him. Hakyeon turned his head, tilting it up seconds later, and saw his brother hovering a few feet over the ground, hand still extended as he had just thrown his spear. Bright golden eyes met nearly white ones for a second before they moved away upon feeling a hard grip on his injured solder. Hakyeon yelped in pain, turning his body and hitting the soldier with the upper part of his bow. 

    "Help father!" Sanghyuk demanded as he landed a few feet away from where Hakyeon was, hand extended and spear flying towards him before being thrown again, "I'll try to find mother!"

    Hakyeon didn't answer, taking steps towards his father as Sanghyuk stepped forward, towards the cabin. Hakyeon turned his back to him and his attention to his father. Three arrows flew from his bow at the same time, each hitting their targets and bringing them to the ground. Hakyeon was so close to his father, only one man in their way, with his final arrow Hakyeon knocked out the last man. His shoulder was throbbing but he paid it no attention.

    He was embraced in a warm hug, his senses instantly being filled with the musky scent that could only be described as his father's natural odor, "Father, what happened?" he asked, "Where is mother?"

    "You have to run," was the only reply as his father broke the hug and placed his hands on his shoulder, keeping him at arm's length, "Take your brother and leave." 

    "Father," Hakyeon began, tears forming in his eyes, "What is going on? Why are the king's men here?"

    His father only smiled as he brought him into a hug again twisting his body so that he was now where his son had been. Hakyeon embraced his father, looking over his shoulder and seeing a soldier with his bow pulled, arrow ready and suddenly flying towards them. Hakyeon's eyes widened and his wings came to wrap around his father, but it was too late, his father's weight suddenly becoming much bigger and Hakyeon fell to his knees, bringing his father along with him. His hand grabbed ahold of one of his throwing knives, throwing it with force at the soldier, watching him fall only seconds later.

    "No, no," He whispered as tears rolled down his cheeks, tormented eyes meeting his fathers tired and sorrow filled ones, "Father, please. This can't be," Hakyeon place his hand on his father's chest, feeling the tip of the arrowhead as blood began to seep from the wound, "Hold on. You'll be okay, we'll get you to a doctor. You'll be okay, please be okay."

    "Hakyeon-ah,"   his father began, hand finding his son's and holding it tightly, "We- we tried. . . so hard to keep you an-and your brother safe. Leave," he coughed lightly, blood slowly running down his chin as he continued speaking, "Hide... .st-stay away from the capital... .fr-from this kingdom. Keep your brother safe." The life left his eyes after that, his body going limp within Hakyeon's hold.

    "Father? Father no, please don't leave us," Hakyeon wailed as he brought his father into a hug, unable to come into terms with his father's sudden death, "You still have so much to teach me. We still have so much to talk about." Hakyeon sobbed into his father's shoulder, "We'll take you to a doctor. You'll be okay, please be okay."

    "Hyung!" Sanghyuk yelled as he came out of the cabin, tears in his eyes and bloody hands grasping his side, "Hyung! Mother is gone! She's dead. Hyung?" He stopped talking, looking at his brother as he covered himself and another with his wings, his body wrecking with heartbreaking sobs, "Hyung, where is father?" He asked as he moved towards his brother. He already knew the answer, it didn't take a genius to figure it out but he couldn't seem to process the situation, he fell to his knees beside his brother, hands falling to his sides and wings slowly retracting into his body. 

    Hakyeon didn't say anything, was unable to bring himself to speak as he unwrapped his wings, allowing his brother to see their father, their almighty father who suddenly seemed so small in his arms. His wings retracted as he looked at Sanghyuk, shaking his head lightly, proving his thoughts correct. Sanghyuk began to cry, taking his father away from his brother and holding him tightly, screaming from sorrow.

    Hakyeon got up, unable to see his brother this broken. He whipped the tears from his eyes, his body turning in circles as he looked over their surroundings. This had been his home for as long as he could remember. He spent nineteen years in this forest. Making Memories. Having fun, learning about all the things that he loved and made him who he was. He always remembered this forest as a place filled with life, bright and with laughter.

    This was not his forest. His forest was not filled with dead bodies and splattered with blood. His forest was not filled with broken sobs and the stench of iron.

    His forest was not filled with grief.

* * *

Hey, its mama panda

I hope you enjoyed this update, leave me a comment, subscribe or kudos.

Love you all greatly,

Mama panda (sillyvamp)

K.D.F.G.


	3. Departure Pt. 1

Hakyeon put his pain aside, taking matters into his own hands for Sanghyuk was now under his care. He had to take care of his fourteen-year-old brother for his parents who had kept them hidden during their whole lives and as a result, he was unsure if they even had any other relatives. Pulling his arrows out of bodies they had perforated, placing the good ones back into the quiver and the broken ones into a pile to be brought into the cabin, Hakyeon couldn't help but shed a few more tears of pain and sorrow.

The men who he had shot were not dead, simply unconscious. It would be a few hours before they would actually die, but the damage was still there. He had hurt these men with his own hands, had shot them with his golden arrows and hadn't felt any regret at all as he did so. He felt as if his heart was weighing him down making it difficult to breathe. He choked on a sob upon seeing the many dead men that littered the ground but he burst into tears upon taking the sight of the dead man within the cabin, held onto the wall by the white blood stained spear that belongs to his brother. Sobs wreaked his body as his eyes stayed glued to the dead soldier.

His brother's innocence had been stolen. His soul was tainted. Hakyeon continuously hit the blood covered floor with his fist. This was unfair. Why was being who they were so bad? Why was it that the King wanted them dead? During all of his life, the Cha family had been nothing but kind, but the king seemed to only want them gone.

It wasn't their fault they had been born with wings. It wasn't their fault that the gods had gifted their family with royal blood. They had just wanted to live a normal life where they didn't have to hide. 'Why could we not just live normally?' he thought with a broken heart, 'We just wanted a normal life.'

Hakyeon was surrounded by warmth and he turned his body slightly, hiding his face within his brother's shoulders and embracing him. He was aware that the strength he was using was excessive but he was too apologetic towards Sanghyuk, "Sanghyuk-ah. . ." he managed to say between sobs while the rest of his apology was lost within his brothers white cotton shirt.

"I know," Sanghyuk answered, rubbing his brothers back soothingly. He brought him in closer, allowing him to fall onto his lap and he held him there. He ignored the pain that his injured side brought to him choosing to try and sooth his older brother's pain instead, "It is okay hyung. It was not your fault. I chose to kill them. You had nothing to do with it. Do not beat yourself up over something that I chose to do."

"But Sanghyuk," Hakyeon tried to say, voice rough and shoulders sagging as if a large weight had fallen on them.

"Do not try to explain it hyung. It is not your fault. It was what had to be done."

Hakyeon snorted lightly, finding the fact that it was his baby brother who was comforting him slightly amusing. He let go of his tight hold on him and instead placed his hands on his brother's cheeks. Sanghyuk was so young, yet he acted like he was the older one the majority of the time. He was so overprotective of Hakyeon that it was downright embarrassing. His shoulders were wide and body muscled as a side effect to the manual labor he often did yet he still held some baby fat in his cheeks.

Hakyeon smiled through his tears and with a heavy sigh he placed a light kiss on his brother's forehead, "Thank you Sanghyuk, you are a great brother. I am truly blessed to have you."

From far away they heard the pained neighing of several horses. They looked at each other, eyes widening in a slightly comical manner. They both got up, Sanghyuk's hand extending and his spear finding its way to him. Hakyeon tried his hardest to ignore the sound that the body that had been stuck to the wall made as it fell to the floor. Sanghyuk shook the spear, trying to get as much blood off as possible before strapping it onto his back once again, "That was from the direction closest to the Capital. Where the traps have been set. We must hurry, we only have half an hour before whoever got their horse stuck on the traps gets here. I left the carriage ten minutes from here towards the east."

"Pack a satchel of clothes and your valuables," Hakyeon ordered, already heading towards their father's lifeless form while unstrapping his arrow quiver from his back. His voice was no longer drowning with emotions and instead was cold and slightly robotic. The only trace that he had been crying was the sight his bloodshot eyes, "I'll bring him in and then burn this place down."

"You cannot be serious," Sanghyuk argued hands coming up to point around him, "This is all we know."

"The more reason to burn it down," Hakyeon placed his father's body on his back with difficulty, huffing lightly at the weight. He staid still, trying to mentally prepare himself to move.

Sanghyuk took off his spear from its sheath on his back and placed it besides the cabin. He walked towards the still motionless Hakyeon and took his father from him, placing him on his back with ease and walking to the cabin. Hakyeon looked at him with a slightly opened mouth and when Sanghyuk turned around he was still in the same place as before, "Put your quiver back on, pick up your broken arrows and hurry up hyung. We do not have time to stand around. Pack your things." With those words, he disappeared into the cabin.

Hakyeon gulped before grabbing his quiver and strapping it onto his back again, grabbing the small pile of broken arrows. He went into the cabin and let the broken arrows he held in his hand fall onto the littered floor. He ignored the mess of bodies and went into his room, grabbing his satchel from beneath his bed and shoving as many clothes as it was possible within. He went through his other belonging, little in number and worth yet still important to him, to find the things that were the most meaningful. Deciding on a necklace with a wooden wing pendant that had been given to him by his father on his tenth birthday and a silver ring.

He rummaged underneath his bed once again and came upon his throwing knives, the gift from Mr. Min, the blacksmith of the village. With a heavy sigh, he set the case into his satchel as well and the thought came to mind that he was missing one from the sheath in his left thigh. The memory of the soldier came to mind and Hakyeon cringed slightly when he thought of the knife that had found its target to be the soldier's throat.

"You ready to go?" Sanghyuk asked from behind him and as Hakyeon turned he was able to see his brother fixing his satchel on his shoulder, spear already on his back, "I emptied the lantern oil we had all over the house and placed father on his bed next to mother. Do you," he bit his lip lightly and cleared his throat in an attempt to prepare himself for what he would say next, "Do you want to say goodbye to them?" he managed to finally say, voice small and insecure.

"Yes," Hakyeon answered him, placing his satchel on his shoulder but being unable to look his brother in the eye. He could already feel his throat closing in on him so he cleared his throat in an attempt to sound normal, "Let me just get my knife from outside."

"I already grabbed it for you," Sanghyuk informed him, hand coming up and extending towards his brother. The knife was within the elder's grasp yet Hakyeon found himself hesitating when it came to actually take it. "It will not bite my dear brother," Sanghyuk stated with an amused tone, "It is only a knife."

Hakyeon took it, placing it on his thigh with the others and walked out of the room, cheeks slightly red from embarrassment, "I know that." He heard his brother laugh lightly before he fell silent once again, following him into their parents' bedroom. All playfulness left them upon seeing their parents in the state that they were. Mrs. Cha had a knife stuck to her chest and the tip of the arrow Mr. Cha had in his chest could be seen from where they stood.

With a heavy sigh, Hakyeon walked towards the bed and caressed his mother's cold cheek. He didn't say anything, was unable to bring words out of his mouth as he stared at their parents. He turned to Sanghyuk, eyes speaking for him making the younger nod lightly before leaving the room.

"Why," Hakyeon began with a small voice, shaky fingers coming up to fix some of his mother's stray hair, "why did I convince you to stay home?" He knelt down, grabbing ahold of his mothers hand and holding it tightly between his own, "You should have come with us. If you had come with us you would still be alive." Hakyeon choked on a sob, "I'm- It's all my fault. I killed you and father."

"Hyung," Sanghyuk spoke from where he stood by the door, hands full of white roses. Hakyeon looked up, eyes falling on the beautiful blooms their mother took pride in. Hakyeon saw the small drops of blood that fell to the floor and instantly came to the conclusion that the younger had probably cut them with his bare hands, "I have the flowers and the men are not far from here. As much as it pains me we have to go."

"Yes," Hakyeon nodded, "Yes, let's get going." He took the flowers from Sanghyuk placing them on his mother's chest and bringing her hands together, making it seem as if she was holding the white blooms. With a final fake smile towards his parents, the two brothers left the room.

As they stepped out Sanghyuk handed Hakyeon a lighted lantern. Hakyeon took it and looked at the flame with clouded eyes. He held his breath as he threw it towards the open door. It landed beside a few dead soldiers and the frame broke.

Upon finding its prison broken, the flames grew in size swallowing up everything it touched. It was only a matter of minutes before the small cabin was swallowed entirely, the smoke marking where it was.

Hakyeon's wings came out and after allowing a few tears of sorrow to fall both he and his bother flew away.

Away from their only home.

~~~*~~~

The dark eyes of the general looked at the burning flames with an exasperated sigh. His men had been defeated by two teenage boys. Not only that but the boys had escaped. He looked at his wounded soldiers and brought his hand up, signaling the soldiers he had brought with him, "Kill them all. Anyone who saw the peasants faces must not be allowed to live."

"Yes sir," was the response from his troops as swords were unshielded and scream filled the forest again.

"The king orders the assassination of what he thinks are Royal peasants," The general huffs as he turns his back to the massacre, "Yet HE orders the protection." He mounted his maroon stallion, "What type of game are they playing?"

"Sir," one of his soldiers came up to him. sword stained with blood and face smeared with the substance, "The soldiers are dead."

"Throw the bodies into the fire. Clean the blood off the grass and ensure that nobody sets foot here again." The general took a deep breath eyes scanning his surroundings and stopping when a light catches his eyes, "Soldier."

The soldier, who was heading to give the orders turned back, "Yes sir?"

"That right there," The general pointed in the direction of the light, "Bring that to me."

The soldier moved in the direction the general was pointed and grabbed the object that was there. He returned to the man's side and presented the object with both hands.

The general took it, inspecting it as his eyes widened slightly, "Well I'll be damned. The King was right." He placed the object into his hanbok sleeve for safekeeping and then grabbed the reigns of his horse, "The more reason to follow his orders."

  
~~~*~~~

"Unclasp the horses from the carriage," Hakyeon ordered as he ransacked through the back of the said vehicle for the riding seats they kept at the back in case of emergencies. His hands were shaking as they pushed sacks of food out of the way. When he finally found them he took one and moved to Sanghyuk who had just finished unclasping the horses. Giving the saddle to his brother he grabbed the other one and made fast work of saddling his horse.

Upon finishing he went through the sacks of food, emptying one that had been filled with flour and filling it with nonperishable food. Dry meat and dry fruit along with some hard bread went in. Sanghyuk joined him, filling his own sack with food for the unknown journey. When two sacks were filled to the brim they tied them closed and strapped them to the saddle. Hakyeon took a sack of wheat as well, for his horse.

After unstrapping his quiver and bow, Hakyeon placed them on the saddle as well as his satchel and then grabbed onto his cloak. He turned to his brother, ready to ask him if he was ready but the words were stuck to his throat. Sanghyuk looked at the sack of apple with a slightly longing look, "Take it," Hakyeon stated, "Changmin likes them as well after all."

Sanghyuk did nothing but nod as he grabbed the sack.

"Eunmi-ah," Hakyeon murmured as he caressed the Dun stallion's mane, "my darling girl. You must be strong." His forehead touched her own and his eyes closed, "Lead us to safety." with those last words he let her go and got on her back, a difficult task with only one functioning arm.

"Where to?" Sanghyuk asked, his white stallion ready to move where directed.

Hakyeon brought the hood of his cloak up and took a hold of Eunmi's reigns. He looked up at the trees that surrounded them, "We ride South. Away from the capital."

Sanghyuk nodded, bringing Changmin to a strutting pace. Hakyeon was soon following, "Mother told us stories of a kingdom down South."

"The more reason to head in that direction," was the last thing Hakyeon said before they were running.


	4. Departure pt. 2

    Sanghyuk was on the verge of falling. Changmin could only do so much for his owner before he fell from his back. His white mane was already stained with his master's blood as the wounded human swung from side to side, eyes slowly closing. The horse wished it could slow down, but his sister Eunmi had no plans of slowing down anytime soon and unless he was given some type of sign from his master he could not slow down either.

    Sanghyuk was tired. He had already lost too much blood and there was no telling how bad his wound was. He wanted to speak up, tell his brother that they should stop and seek medical attention, but he was far too tired to form words. He caressed his stallions mane and the horse was quick to pick up the message. 

    Changmin slowed down, neighing to get the attention of the older Cha. Hakyeon was quick to turn with Eunmi, retracing their steps and stopping at Changmin's side. Hakyeon pulled his brother's shirt up and assessed the wound. He looked towards the distance behind them and sighed, "We cannot stop. There is still too much ground to cover," Hakyeon began. Should they stop and face the possibility of being caught or keep going and possibly have Sanghyuk die from blood loss? 

    "H-Hy-ung," Sanghyuk managed to stutter out but was unable to say much more.

    "Shush, do not force yourself to speak," Hakyeon soothed as he looked around them. Every second that passed was a huge loss for them. "Can you last a bit longer? We need to get out of the main road and back into the forest." 

    Sanghyuk nodded weakly and allowed his brother to take the reigns from his hands, pulling them into the forest. There was silence around them and darkness surrounded them. Hakyeon tried to soothe Eunmi as he leads her into the denser part, close to the main road if they needed to run and dense enough to hide them. 

    Eunmi was slightly disoriented, the forest is darker than the main road but still followed her Master's commands. She trusted her human. They stopped and Hakyeon mounted off before pulling Sanghyuk off of Changmin. 

    Sanghyuk groaned as he was pulled down, unable to hold the sound as a sharp pain bloomed from deep within him. He allowed his brother to drag him forward before slowly setting him on the ground. Sanghyuk breathed deeply, hissing lightly and leaned back, his back touching what could only be the trunk of a tree. His hand was moved to hold onto his side.

    "Wait here okay?" Hakyeon spoke as he held his brothers face with both hands, trying to see his face as best as possible through the darkness that surrounded them. His eyes soon became accustomed to the darkness and he was able to see the outline of his brother's features, "I went through mothers herbs and salves. I brought some with me. We will dress the wound and then we will rest." He pulled back, only to be stopped by a firm yet weak grasp on his arm. He turned back to his brother, confused, "What is it?"

    "H-hyung," Sanghyuk stuttered, "yo-you-ey-eyes." 

    "What? What of them? Is something wrong with them?" Hakyeon asked, hands coming up to touch his face.

    "Gl-glo-glowing." Sanghyuk choked on what he thought was bile but he was quite mistaken. Blood rushed from his mouth, the metallic liquid getting stuck in his throat and making him gag.

    "No, Sanghyuk." Tears formed in the elder's eyes and he wiped the blood with his shirt sleeve, "Do not pay my eye's attention. Do not speak. I will clean your wound. Try to stay awake. Do not close your eyes." Hakyeon got up and went over to his satchel, untying it and then looking through it. He opened multiple small flasks, trying to pinpoint what he needed based on smell. After a few seconds, he came out with cotton strips to dress the wound and a few containers. 

    "Yarrow," Hakyeon mumbled to himself as he walked around, putting the herbs into his mouth as he attempted to make a paste. Anything that looked like a flower he plucked and brought to his nose. Upon finding the rich smell that the yarrow flower gave up he was quick to rip the young leaves off and then to shreds and place it in his mouth as well. with the little water that they had on their Horses, he returned to his brother and tapped his cheek lightly. 

    "Stay with me," Hakyeon tried to say over a large amount of paste he had in his mouth. Sanghyuk's eyes open slightly and upon seeing that his brother was still alive Hakyeon was quick to begin patching him up. Hakyeon ripped the shirt open and assessed what he was working with. Cleaning the wound as well as possible with the water, Hakyeon took some time to clear his mind and truly look at the wound without all of the blood from before. The bleeding was less consistent then it had been before, but the gash was deep and would more than likely need stitches.

    Hakyeon spits the moist paste into his palm, "This will hurt," he warned his brother before placing the paste on the wound. Sanghyuk hissed, screaming caught deep in his throat and turning into a loud groan of pain. Hakyeon grabbed the cloth that was by his side and wrapped his brother's side as tightly as possible but not to the extent it was too constricting. "You are alright brother. It's only a scratch. Rest, we will try to find a village healer tomorrow."

    Sanghyuk nodded lightly as Hakyeon covered him with the cloak that was still around his shoulders soon taking his own off and wrapped it around the younger, not minding the cool air one bit. Patting his knee lightly Hakyeon got up, taking his bow and arrows with him as he left the small campground. 

    He needed to make a fire, that was the main priority. Then he needed to find a water supply. But more than anything he needed to stay on guard and not step too far from where Sanghyuk was. Hakyeon patted Eunmi's neck lightly, "Take care of him while I'm gone. You too Changmin." Both horses simply neighed as Hakyeon stepped farther away. 

    Hakyeon looked around grabbing any piece of wood he could find. when his hands were full he returned to the camp to set them down. This continued for some time, Hakyeon working as fast and as silently as possible. Once he had enough wood he began to work on actually making the fire. It took him ten minutes, but by the sixth attempt, he was able to create a small flame that grew upon being presented with more fuel. When he was sure that the fire would not die out while he was away he got up again and searched around him, arrow ready in case anything came at him. 

    He heard it before he saw it. The rush of water. He mentally cheered as he finally laid eyes on the small river and he all but ran towards it. The water looked clean so without much thought, Hakyeon fell to his knees inches from it and cupped his hands bringing them into the water and then to his parched mouth that still held the taste of the herbal paste he had made for his brother. He cleaned his face off the blood and dirt that seemed to have made itself home on his skin and when he was clean he took a second to actually see his reflection on the water. What he saw startled him.

    Bright golden eyes stared back at him. It was at that moment that his bothers words made total sense. His eyes were glowing. It now made sense that he was able to actually see in the dark, but was it that he could do that? This was the first time it had ever happen, he would know. He was blinder than an old man in the dark. 

    "How?" Hakyeon mumbled as his hand came up to touch his face, making sure that his reflection was truly him and not someone else. 

    A branch somewhere near him snapped causing Hakyeon to snap out of his trance and grab ahold of his bow, arrow ready as he turned his body. He aimed in the direction the noise had come from but there was nothing. Sighing lightly he got up and moved back towards the camp. There was no chance he would be sleeping tonight.

~*~*~*~

    Sanghyuk groaned as his eyes fluttered open, taking in the trees around him and the dying fire as the sun lazily crawled its way to the sky. He gave a Small prayer towards Apollo for allowing him to be grazed with the sun's presence this day as well. A snap close to where he was resting caused his eyes to open and his hand flew forward, spear flying to him

    Sanghyuk held his breath, unable to move as freely as he wanted due to the sharp pain any type of move brought him. He looked around, trying to find his brother but found no trace of him. His heartbeat nearly out of control as he waited for whatever had made that noise to make its way towards him. A shadow made passed through his peripheral vision and his hand flew up, releasing the spear.

    His aim was off. Gods off would be an understatement. In any other circumstances, it would have been bad for his aim to be that pitiful but Sanghyuk found himself sighing in pure relief.

    "Woah, brother," Hakyeon stated as he grabbed ahold of the spear and walked the rest of the distance between him and Sanghyuk, "I am no enemy."

    "Hyung," Sanghyuk muttered, "Where were you? You were not here, I got worried." 

    Hakyeon set the spear beside Hyuk and held two already cleaned and skewered fish, "I went out to hunt. Fish was the best option. We have a lot of ground to make up for and we have to pass through the nearest village to see a doctor."

    Sanghyuk took that moment to look at his torn shirt and dressed abdomen. He fixed his body slightly against the tree trunk as Hakyeon put the fish to cook, "How long was I unconscious."

    "Not long," Hakyeon answered him with all honesty, "I changed your dressings a couple times, fed and watered the horses, Found myself some nice herbs that I wasn't carrying."

    Sanghyuk studied his brother, eyes moving to the dark circles that were forming on his brother's face, "You did not rest?"

    Hakyeon looked around them, eyes scanning the woods for any possible enemies before setting on Sanghyuk as well, "Too risky for both of us to rest out in the open."

    Sanghyuk opened his mouth, ready to argue but quickly though again. His hand came up to hold his side unconsciously as he spoke, "Did you at least take care of your wound? I do not mean pulling out the arrow, that would be idiotic, but accessing the damage?"

    Hakyeon's hands stilled as he turned the fish, "Of course I did."

    "You are a terrible liar." Sanghyuk gritted out, "For the Gods' sake. Take some care of yourself hyung."

    "You are more important. I'm fine. The arrowhead  is sticking out of my back, the healer will have no difficulty in getting the rest of it out and then patching me up." Hakyeon looked at his skeptical brother, "I am honest Sanghyuk. I am okay. The fish will be ready soon." Hakyeon changed the topic, "Move around and see if you are well enough to continue riding."

    "I am." was all Sanghyuk said as he got up, using his spear as support. He didn't turn to Hakyeon after that, the conversation between them was over and moved towards Changmin. He ran his hand through his mane before leaning his forehead against that of his white stallion, "Thank you for your hard work, my dear friend."

    Changmin neighed and moved closer to his owner, enjoying the warmth that radiated from his human companion. Sanghyuk took an apple from the sack Changmin was carrying and presented the stallion the bright red fruit. Changmin was fast to take it into his mouth, savoring the juicy treat. His human's mate always picked the ripest apples. That's why he liked the man. Whenever his human would take him to the city at night, his owner's mate would always give him yummy treats. The horse's eyes moved to Eunmi's human if only he knew what Sanghyuk was doing at night.

    "The fish finished cooking, " Hakyeon stated in a monotone voice. He picked the smaller of the two and got to work on devouring it. They had to move fast. He held the other fish to Sanghyuk who took it and then mounted onto Changmin, ready to go at any second. Hakyeon eyed him for a second before he strapped the forgotten cloak around himself. He stomped the dying fire a few times to ensure it would not cause any harm to the forest and mounted onto Eunmi. He shoved the rest of the fish into his mouth and threw the branch he had used as a skewer. Without a word he leads Eunmi out of the forest, Changmin soon following.

-*-*-*-

    The General moved through the palace with his head held high. In one hand he held his sword while in the other he held onto a smaller object. He passed through the buildings within the palace, trying to get to one in particular. He passed the quarters that belonged to the second prince, the guards bowing deeply upon seeing him. He nodded ever so slightly in response and went on his way only to stop on his tracks when the man he was looking for walked towards him. The general bowed as deeply as he could, showing his deepest respects towards the man in front of him.

    "General Choi," The man spoke, the soft voice sending slight chills through the older man's body. he held a fan over his face, hiding all but his eyes. "What brings you here so early in the morning?"

    "Your Highness," The General said, "I have brought you news in the matter of the Ro-"

    "Ah," The man stopped him, "So it is in regards to that that you come here." The young man looked around him and then at his servants who were behind him. Without a word he began to walk towards the Second Prince's quarters, "He will wish to know about this matter as well."

    The guards bowed deeply towards the two men and allowed them to the entrance to the quarters. The servants who were waiting for the second prince bowed towards the men and allowed them to pass through the open doors, closing them behind the General. The second prince, upon seeing who it was that had come in, instantly got up. He smiled ever so lightly towards the men before straightening up his attire.

    They all sat down, looking at each other for a few seconds before the second prince spoke up, "What brings you both here so early in the day?"

    The general untied his hat, laying it down beside him along with his sword. His hands remained closed  and rested on his knees after that, "The orders that were given by his highness were placed into action only yesterday."

    The Second Prince and His Majesty's eyes went wide. The older of the two spoke up, "And what were the results?"

    "You were right your majesty," The General reached into his sleeve, presenting the princes with his findings, "This was found on the field."

    The second prince gasped in shock while the other's brow raised ever so slightly.

    In the open palm of the General was a feather. A bright gold feather like no other.

~*~*~

    The Cha siblings smelled the village before they saw it. They could smell the sweetness of fresh bread along with the bitterness of sweaty bodies pressed together on a hot summer day. Upon being hit by the many smells both boys fastened their hands on their horse's reigns and with a powerful move of their hand the horses gained speed.

    Sanghyuk couldn't have been happier when the village finally came into view. His side had begun to torment him and he could feel the dampness of the dressings on his skin. He pulled Changmin's reigns, decreasing his speed from a sprint to a walk and followed his brother into the village.

    "We need to look for a healer," Hakyeon commented, eyes already scanning the small huts for any possible signs as to where the village healer lived. 

    The village people turned to look at them as they moved through the streets, murmuring to one another as their eyes scanned the two strangers. It wasn't uncommon for travelers to pass through their village, but the Cha brothers gave off a different feeling that for some reason made the villages people weary yet awed.

    Hakyeon dismounted his stallion upon seeing that his brother was no longer able to control Changmin well. He took Changmin's reigns from his brother's hand and lead both horses deeper into the village. He ignored the stares and instead took to asking the first person close enough for help, "My apologies," he began. His voice was rough and monotone, a drastic contrast to how it usually was, "but where may I find the Village healer?"

    The elderly women, upon hearing Hakyeon's voice was startled from her work of looking at what Hakyeon thought was a combination of dried herbs and spices. She looked up at the young man, but there was very little she could see with the cloak covering his body. "Well," She answered, shooting a look at the barely conscious Sanghyuk, "it depends on who is asking."

    "We are travelers," Hakyeon was quick to lie, "who were robbed of our gold and wounded. We seek the help of a healer to treat our wounds."

    She eyed the goods they had strapped to the horse saddles and the weapons that were intact. She kept her eyes on the white spear for a few seconds, "Robbed, huh?" She grabbed onto the packed goods she had placed on the stand and began to walk forward, "You boys are in luck. You found the healer's wife. Follow me."

    Hakyeon was quick to follow the small woman, muttering his thanks. The walked for what would only be five minutes, but to Sanghyuk, who was losing his grasp of reality it felt like hours. A sigh of relief left his lips as they stopped in front of a small house. He looked skeptical for a second, thinking that they had been tricked by an old hag until his tired eyes noticed the dried herbs that took nearly all the space on the surface of a table outside the house. 

    "Leave your horses here," The elderly woman ordered as she shed her shoes and walked into the house. 

    Hakyeon tied the horse's reigns on one of the houses support poles in front of the home. Upon making sure that the horses were secure he grabbed onto Sanghyuk's arm and pulled him down. Sanghyuk groaned upon being moved but Hakyeon only wrapped this brothers arm around his shoulder, supporting him from the waist and pulled him forward. He didn't even try to pull off their leather boots off, only muttered an apology before entering. 

     The older Cha was met with an elderly man who was already in what could only be described as surgery attire while the elderly woman moved around the small house, pulling herbs and other things from labeled containers. 

    "Lay him on the bed," The elderly man ordered as he took some scissors from his wife's hand.

    Hakyeon laid his brother down slowly, unclasping the cloak from around his neck as an excuse to kneel and whisper into his brother's ear, "Keep your eyes closed." When he felt Sanghyuk nod he straightens up and moved away to give the healer space to work.

    "I am healer Lee," the elderly man stated as he cut the bloody dressings.

    "I am Ehn and that is my brother Hyuk," Hakyeon quickly stated. He mentally cursed himself for stating such names. Sanghyuk's he understood as it has the nickname their parents often called him, but his? What in the Heavens is an Ehn? Is it something you eat? Some word in another universe that he somehow heard in his nineteen years that got stuck in his brain?

    "Strange names you young lads have," healer Lee commented as he assessed the wound, humming to himself right after.

    "We come from a different Kingdom," Hakyeon tried to clarify his lie with more lies. He sat down on the chair the elderly woman provided him, thanking her before continuing, "Many days away from here. Up north."

    "And in that Kingdom children are given such peculiar names?" 

    "They are peculiar to you," Hakyeon defended, "Yet they are as normal as breathing to us."  

    "That it seems." With a cloth healer, Lee cleaned the wound, trained eyes knowing where exactly to touch to ensure that Sanghyuk would not suffer through too much pain. 

    The house was silent after, the healer and his wife concentrating on patching up  Sanghyuk while Hakyeon looked at them intensely. After nearly twenty minutes Sanghyuk was patched up and unconscious, his skin was still pale but Healer Lee assured he would regain his color after some rest. With that word he exited the house, stating he had some patients to visit.

    "And you?" The healer's wife asked as she cleaned the tools that had been used.

    Hakyeon looked up from his brother and turned towards her, "I'm sorry?"

    "Do you have no wounds?" she clarified.

    "Oh," Hakyeon moved his cloak, showing his wounded arm to the elderly woman.

    Mrs. Lee tsked, "Strip." She ordered. Hakyeon looked at her questioningly and made no move to follow the orders, "Your cloak and upper garments. Let me see what I am dealing with." 

    Hakyeon stood up and unclasped his cloak. He covered his brother's shirtless form with it and then stripped off his shirt, hissing slightly at the pain the movements caused his shoulder. He kept his eyes closed, unwilling to let them see what he knew set him apart. Mrs. Lee walked to him and with questioning eyes and inspected his blood smeared shoulder. 

    She tsked before grabbing onto some tweezers, "And you walked around with this wound as if nothing was wrong."

    "It is of less importance compared to the wound by brother carries."

    "You could have died from blood loss," Mrs. Lee commented, "Tighten your jaw. This will hurt." With that warning, she grabbed ahold of the arrowhead poking from his back and pulled.

    Hakyeon hissed as he felt the trickle of blood cascading down his arm, "Some higher power wants to keep me alive it seems." He growled through the pain.

    "Wants to keep both of you a life." Mrs. Lee grabbed onto some damp cloth and cleaned the blood, her eyes being drawn to the wings tattooed on Hakyeon's back. "Interesting marks you two boys have."

    "A part of the coming of age ceremony in our kingdom. After we prove ourselves worthy this is the mark that is given to us as a reminder that we are no longer children."

    "Why the different color?" She asked as she began to stitch up the holes the arrow had caused, "Your brother carries a white mark while you carry a golden one."

    "The ink changes every five moon cycles." 

    "Your kingdom seems troublesome, allowing children to go through the pain of marking their bodies."

    Hakyeon simply chuckled, 'If only you knew.' 

    No more words were exchanged between the two as Mrs. Lee finished up stitching and then dressing his shoulder, but when done the elderly lady spoke again, "He needs to rest and by the darkness accumulating under your eyes so do you. He should wake up within two to three days. You may both rest here and do not worry, your horses will be taken care of as well."

    Hakyeon felt around for his shirt and when he found it he quickly put it back on along with his cloak, eyes opening when he knew they were hidden by the hood, "Thank you for your hospitality but I am afraid that I have no gold to pay you with."

    "Gold is not needed from you boys," The elderly lady stated as she walked out of the house, "You two seem to have had a rough time."

    When the door was closed behind her Hakyeon fell back onto the chair he had been sitting on before, exhaustion taking over his body. He needed to rest and his brother was out cold. They will stay here until Sanghyuk awoke but will leave right after. 

    With those thoughts Hakyeon allowed his head to lean back and rest against the house's wall, sleep soon wrapping itself around him.


	5. Chapter 4; Hidding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New friends are made in the most unexpected places.

    Hakyeon remembered the day his parents passed away as if it had been yesterday, the image of his father's grief-filled eyes burning into his own golden ones burned into his brain. He remembered the sorrow that had filled him as he and his brother watched their only home burn to the grown, their parent's lifeless body within the falling cabin.

    But even though the memory of that fateful day was so fresh within his memory over twenty moon cycles had already passed. 900 days.  21,610 hours. 1,296,635 minutes. 77,798,120 seconds. And every single moment was spent in hiding, holding his breath and hoping that the king's men would not find them.

    Hakyeon's heart hurt when he remembered everything he had left behind in the Land of Angelos, in the Fallen woods that had been his home ever since he could remember. Everything that had made him who he was had been destroyed within the red flames.

    He couldn't even fantom what his younger brother must have felt all of these years for it was him who had left his most priced object, a being more precious than all of the gold and jewels in the face of the earth. While Hakyeon had left behind dreams and memories, material possessions that could be easily replaced Sanghyuk had left all that and more. He had left his loved one.

    It was idiotic to an extent. Hakyeon had thought of his brothers crush towards the Lee offspring as nothing more than that, childish puppy love that could be easily forgotten. He had been proven wrong, however.

    During their escape from the land of Angelos, they had been filled with grief for their loss, unable to speak without feeling a knot forming within their throats. As the days passed their pain numbed them down, made it bearable to continue their endless journey to another kingdom far away from the one that had stolen their parents from them. 

    When they entered the outskirts of a kingdom by the name Joseon, Hakyeon was more than surprised. He had always thought that the stories their mother told him were nothing more than fantasies with no actual truth. But he was wrong as the kingdom they were faced with was all but imaginary.

    Those of Joseon looked at them like they were something else from out of this world. Their eyes and attire set them apart. Golden eyes and white eyes were not seen and at first, they were thought as demons and nearly killed, but upon seeing how kind and warm-hearted the Cha were they were instantly loved.

    It was funny how one instant they were the most feared within the large kingdom and the next they were the most loved. It was Angelos all over again with gifts and admiration. The children loved them and the maidens swooned over them.

    Hakyeon got accustomed to the new environment, hunting and selling the game to make an income, dressing in the cheep hanboks that the commoners wore. Sanghyuk did the same, wore the clothes of the people, taking care of selling the game and trying to fit in. But there was only so much he could do. Sanghyuk didn't smile like he had done before, even when Hakyeon tried to make him happier. 

    Hakyeon sighed as he brushed Eunmi's mane, the horse neighing in content. "How long do we need to hide?" Hakyeon muttered, cloak tight around his body. His only protection from the cold was the thin sleeping robes and the winter air had no mercy. "Though this kingdom is beautiful, it hurts to be unable to feel the breeze like before."

    It had been over two years since they had actually allowed their wings to show (the one month of the year where they retracted them long enough to let them shed their feathers did not count.) In those two years, both Hakyeon's and Sanghyuk's eyes had dulled in color. Sanghyuk no longer had white eyes, the color turning a murky grey that was seen on those who were blind. And Hakyeon's eyes no longer held the shine of the sun as they had turned a dark honey tint that was beautiful yet melancholic. 

    "My dear Eunmi," Hakyeon whispered as he held his stallion close, "I fear I am going mad."

    "Well, if you speak to horses I believe you are right," A rough voice spoke up.

    Startled, Hakyeon turned to look at the intruder who had broken his internal monologue, "And who might you be?" Hakyeon asked as he took in the male in front of him. Silk Hanbok and thick traveling cloak, definitely not a commoner. Unconsciously his hand found their way to the hilt of one of his throwing knives, ready for any threat.

    "Oh," The man began as he looked around the village, "I am a nobody looking around."

    "A nobody?" Hakyeon found himself chuckling, "Looking around?" Hakyeon looked around himself, "there is not much to look at. The market place doesn't open until sunrise and it is a bit of a distance away."

    "That it is very true." the man chuckled. "Yet it is not the market goods that I was looking for or at. But the stunning scenery was what caught my eye."

    Hakyeon snorted as he took his eyes away from the man, hand falling away from his knives and instead began to braid Eunmi's mane. "The market place and village is anything but stunning scenery."

    "The village is not the scenery I was staring at. It was you."

    Hakyeon's hand stilled mid braid, turning to look at the man with slightly wide eyes.

    "Hyung," a rough voice said. Hakyeon turned to the door of their small house, seeing his brother leaning against the door railing. Sanghyuk held his spear in hand. It had confused the two before, how Sanghyuk's spear had changed overnight. It was no longer a menacing weapon but what seemed to be a walking stick and that definitely helped them.

    Sanghyuk stared in front of him instead of towards his brother, his eyes not focusing on anything, in particular, instead looked void of any emotion, "Hyung are you out here? You were not in the room."

    Hakyeon's eyes shined upon seeing his brother. Leaving Eunmi's side and going towards the door and took his brother's hand in his own, "I am here. Return to bed, it is still too early for you to be awake."

    "Likewise. Why are you up? It is not sunrise yet is it?" Sanghyuk looked around him as if by looking around he would see if the sun had risen. His eyes stopped where the man was still standing and his eyebrows furrowed. 

    "No," Hakyeon turned to the man from before, "have a good day sir." The man nodded, bowing towards the two boys.

    "Is there someone here?" Sanghyuk asked, confusion laced in his words as he was lead back into the house.

    "No Hyuk. There is no one." Hakyeon stated as he closed the door behind him. 

    They waited for a few seconds before Hakyeon opened the window lightly and looked towards the small shed they had built for the horses, making sure the guy was gone before he sighed. 

    "Who was that?" Sanghyuk asked as he sat down on the floor where their bedding still was, spear beside him. 

    "It was not someone we know. A stranger of a high title based on his clothes." Hakyeon answered.

    "What was he doing near our home? Not only that but he was sweet talking to you? The manner in which he looked at you was not like how a stranger looks at another."

    Hakyeon sighed as he sat beside his brother, "I do not know why he spoke like that to me. Though Angelos accepts a man being with another I do not believe that it is the case here. For him to say something like that to me, it is not right."

    "Damn right it is not okay. No one can speak like that to my bother when I am around." Sanghyuk almost yelled, hitting his chest lightly, "I must see that the man who wishes to do so is deserving of such action."

    "Sanghyuk," Hakyeon hit his brother's shoulder, "I am no damsel that needs to be looked after. I am a man who can look after himself."

    "You are my brother," Sanghyuk argued, "Man or women, it does not matter. I will still look after you. But putting that man's presence aside. Why were you up before sunrise?"

    Hakyeon brought his cover closer to himself as he looked at his brother, "I had a nightmare." Sanghyuk's expression filled with concern, "It is nothing to worry about. I was just unable to sleep after that."

    "It is something to worry about if it has stolen rest from you," Sanghyuk argued expression turning sour, "When will you learn that as much as you care for me I also care for you? Tell me, allow me to share your sorrows."

    Hakyeon tried to smile but the said act was futile as it did not hide the pain he still felt, "It is the same as always." was the only thing he stated.

    "Our parent's murder," Sanghyuk added, remembering his brothers constant sleepless nights as they rode away from Angelos.

    'And my mistake that caused your innocence,' Hakyeon thought but did not state, "Yes. The memory seems to haunt my every moment." 'And will continue to do so for many years to come.'

    Sanghyuk did not know what to say, no words could help his brother be at ease. "Why don't you try to rest again? "

    "No!" Hakyeon quickly stated voice raised. He realized his raised voice and cleared his throat. "No," he spoke more calmly, "The sun will be out soon. I need to prepare Eunmi and head out to hunt. We need game to cook and sell. You try to rest however, you had a rough day."

    "Ha-ha," Sanghyuk said with a straight face, "acting like a blind man is not as hard as you try to make it seem. I do nothing all day. I am more than well rested."

    "Then stay home and laze around," Hakyeon stated as he grabbed onto a pair of clothing from the cabinet. It was the clothes they had brought with them two complete moon cycles back, made specifically for the life in the woods. Hakyeon was quick to change, not paying much attention to his brother's eyes that bore holes at his back. After finishing he grabbed ahold of his leather boots and was quick in putting them on.

    It was after he finished and his hair was placed up into a top knot that he finally turned towards his brother. "Will you stop staring at me as though you wish for me to die?" Hakyeon asked.

    "I'm sorry," Sanghyuk stated, words holding a sarcastic tint to them, "What my stare was trying to say was that I wished you would die the most horrific death to mankind."

    Hakyeon scoffed as he tried to hold back a smile, "Well, I apologize for reading your face expressions wrong. Seems like I have grown rusty in that skill."

    "Why don't we try to do something else hyung?" Sanghyuk suddenly changed the topic.

    Hakyeon hands stopped moving as he heard the question, his knife sheath loosely strapped on his thigh. After a few seconds, the shock left his body and he tightened the straps, "What do you mean?"

    "We should find a new kingdom to go to. Someplace no one knows us. We have staid in this kingdom far too long and, although I love the people here, it has become a hassle to act as though I am blind." Sanghyuk paused, "Maybe we could...return to Angelos?"

    "No," Hakyeon growled out as he grabbed ahold of his dull brown bow and quiver of arrows. His eyes fell onto the dresser that held their clothes and bedding, still open and showing the dark cloth where his other bow was hidden. It was the one he had had for years but hadn't used since stepping into the Joseon kingdom. His hand caressed the feathers of one of the arrows, that poked out of the coth as he attempted to calm down. With one last look, he closed the door of their drawer which held everything they had brought with them and emergency satchels. "We are NOT returning to Angelos." 

    "It has been many moons since that night and we have not been caught! Perhaps they believe we have passed?" 

    "I have said no Cha Sanghyuk!" Hakyeon yelled, causing his brother to jump. It had been a long time since the younger had heard his real name, "We are not returning to Angelos. We have been blessed by the gods for many moons and that has caused them to not be able to find us, but that does not mean that I will risk our lives in a second of stupidity."

    "But hyung-"

    "I have said no Sanghyuk," Hakyeon growled out, "and I have meant my words. We will stay here and that is final." with those last words Hakyeon was out the door once again. There was a loud crash from within the home but he made no move to check what it was as he knew it was only his brother throwing a tantrum. 

    With a heavy sigh, Hakyeon moved to Eunmi's side again, finishing her braid and then strapping her saddle and fixing his quiver and bow on her. With one last look at their home, he mounted his stallion and made his way to the woods.

 

~~~*~~~

 

    "Your Excellency!" yelled General Choi, voice wavering upon seeing the expression the second price held. Though this was only field practice the young prince was taking it too seriously, expression blank and eyes dark as he fought against his personal guards, preparing them for the worst. General Choi cleared his throat, eyes slightly wide as he spoke, "His Majesty wishes to see you as soon as possible. It is a matter of utmost importance."

    The second prince dropped his defensive stance, sword finding its way to its sheath. Once seeing that the prince was busy the soldiers took the opportunity to run away, merging in with the other men. "And what is so important he was asked you of all people to come and fetch me?"

    The General cleared his throat, looking around at the other soldiers who were working hard in their training, not minding them too much, "It is in. . . regards to the matter of two years ago."

    "Two years?" Realization crossed the second prince's expression, "You should've said that earlier General," his wings unfolded as he spoke, giving one, two hard strokes and he was up in the air, "Well let us go then." And with that he took off, leaving the older General alone in the practice fields. 

    The General sighed, pulling his horse's and making his way back to the palace. He was too old for this. Why couldn't his son just take his place already? He was old enough, strong enough as well. Why did he just spend his every moment chasing the youngest son of Minister Lee? He hummed to himself, wondering when it would be the best time to tell his son that he had already been engaged to the young Lee offspring.

    When he finally got to the Palace and had made his way to the King's quarters both brothers were deep in conversation, head's turning to see who had come in, one bringing a fan he held up to his face, "Sorry for taking such a long time, a horse cannot beat wings."

    The second prince chuckled while the King's eyes wrinkled around the edges, showing he held a smile behind the fan he delicately held up to hide the bottom of his face.  Upon seeing the doors closing the fan fell to his side and he sighed.

    "Too important matters," General Choi fell to one knee in front of them, eyes to the floor instead of on The King's face. General or not he was not worthy of setting eyes upon the King. "I will do as you command me, my King."

    The King nodded ever so lightly and the Second Prince stood up from where he was seated, expression blank as he walked towards a wooden stand close to where they all were, looking through the shelves for a few seconds and coming out with a folded cloth. He moved to General Choi's side and extended the cloth towards him. The General took it with both hands, head bowed even lower to show his respect. After the Second prince sat down the General stood up, opening the cloth and gasping upon seeing the feather that laid within. It was deteriorating, the color dulling to a murky yellow and slowly transcending into black. The feather was slowly turning into ashes. 

    "They seem to have..." The young King found himself unable to finish his words, expression turning into something far more unreadable then his usual poker face. He cleared his throat and spoke again, "Take a group of men, squad eleven, and confirm if it is true."

    The General's eyes widened, "Your Highness...I understand the importance of this mission, I really do. But Squad eleven? They are not-"

    Rage filled the King's eyes, turning them darker, "Are you questioning my orders?" He asked, voice coming out cold and louder than usual.

    "No your majesty, I would never. It is just that squad eleven are your personal guards..." The General's voice became smaller as he continued to speak. "It will be done, sir." He finished with a bow.

    "You leave at dawn tomorrow. Wonsik will be joining you in this journey." The King finished, shooing them again right after.

    The Second Prince was startled, eyes going wide, but a smirk soon falling unto his lips, "As you wish."  
      
    With a deep bow, General Choi presented the feather to the King who took it without a word. The two men exited the room, the General making his way to the palace gates while the Second Prince made his way to the Royal Infirmary. 

    General Choi sighed as he mounted his stallion, "I am too old for this." he mumbled to himself, preparing himself mentally for the moment when he would tell Lady Choi about his departure.

 

~~~*~~~

 

    Hakyeon took a deep breath, muscles relaxing as he was surrounded by the woods, memories of his home filling his head and making him feel lighter. But his head was soon clouded by the words he brother had said. They had stayed here for a very long time, nearly three moon cycles to be exact, and maybe it was time to find a new kingdom to find refuge in.  Maybe continue south, farther away from Angelos. Because he would not return to Angelos. 

    He would choose to die over returning to Angelos without a second thought. Angelos may have been the kingdom he was born in but it was never his home. The Fallen forest was the only home he knew. Besides, regardless of what Sanghyuk said it was a dangerous place for them. The King may not have found them but that did not mean he was not looking, Hakyeon was sure of it. 

    He shook his head, trying to control his wandering mind, being so lost in thought would only make his shooting bad. He instead listened to the sounds of the woods, eyes darting down to the floor to see if he could see any animal prints. He shivered lightly, the cool breeze managing to caress his skin through his cloak and the cotton material that made his shirt. 

    Hakyeon hated the wolf moon with all his heart. To be honest he hated the dark days (September to the beginning of March) with all his heart given the fact that he was born in the sun days which were looked after by Apollo, the god of the sun. But this kingdom did not count time in the same manner as Angelos did and even if he had been living here for so long he was still not used to it. He preferred the way Angelos kept time; The cycle had twelve moons, six moons made the Sun days and the six other moons were the dark days. Why couldn't Joseon have the same idea?

    The rustling from snow-covered bushes to his right made him bring his bow up, arrow positioned and ready to fire. His stance soon fell as he saw the young bird perched on top of the snow covered bush and he smiled. "What are you doing there little friend?" He hopped off Eunmi and moved to the young Raven who stared at him with curious eyes, "You don't belong in these parts, do you? It is winter, your kind does not lay eggs or is born at this time." He placed his hand down and the young bird hopped onto his finger, "I've never seen your kind here before."

    Ravens did not seem to be a common thing in Joseon and Hakyeon had missed the small birds who seemed so fond of him. When they were in the Fallen forest the birds would keep him company and after he had gotten his wings ravens seemed to flock to him without a second thought. The first time it had occurred his parents had freaked out, always believing that they would only bring bad luck to their child. But as time went on they came to terms with the weird occurrence. "Where did you come from and why in the heavens are you here? It is far too cold for you to be out."

    The raven chirped as if trying to communicate with the human. Hakyeon laughed, the sound sounding like a sweet song. If other birds had been around him they would have surely rustled around and chirped along. "Do you wish to accompany me? I am hunting and I would love some company." The bird chirped and flew clumsily up onto his shoulder, "Hold on tight," Hakyeon commented as he climbed up onto Eunmi again, "Where are you from little friend? and where is your family? You are nothing but a young little thing." The bird chirped and nuzzled close to Hakyeon's neck, seeming to be cold. "If you don't have any family I will take care of you. Maybe Apollo has brought you down to me to keep me company?" The young Raven chirped as if agreeing with him.

    Hakyeon continued his way into the woods, keeping his eyes open for game. Unaware of what exactly the Raven meant in his future.

**Author's Note:**

> The story was inspired by this amazing piece of art. Full credits to the owner, you are absolutely amazing
> 
> https://i.pinimg.com/originals/28/b5/75/28b575743445cc2e284fb49fd3429469.jpg


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